Total Concealment

Total concealment by blending into the profile of the surroundings is often overlooked by most waterfowl hunters. Saying "good enough" when setting up is not going to get educated ducks or geese into the kill zone of your spread. Short stopping birds are often due to the lack of concealment, or concealment that looks like danger.

While most blinds offer the hunter adequate concealment head on, these blinds most often lack proper overhead concealment. Remember that the incoming birds are flying around your decoy spread, not walking around it. Overhead concealment is vital to conceal your movement and equipment. Although we all know that any detected movement by a hunter can send the incoming birds flaring straight up we all make mistakes. You will especially know this if you bring along younger hunters.

Ducks and geese soon learn that large bats off willows, fence lines, or large obstacles mean guns that shoot. Your perfect boat blind may actually look like danger to waterfowl. When looking back at your blind from 100 yards away the height of your blind should not be towering above the surrounding vegetation or cover. This means the smaller and shorter your blind is the better. This is why sink boxes, layout boats, and lay down blinds are so effective.

The next time you find yourself saying you think the birds may be "decoy shy" or "call shy", make sure that you and your hunting partners are truly hidden from the many eyes of an incoming flock of ducks or geese.